However, the Warriors may have stumbled upon two new players, both potential All-Stars: Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins.

Both claim to have undergone emotional makeovers. If they are sincere, the Warriors' outlook becomes considerably brighter.

Ellis' evolution has a lot to do with his wife of a year and a half, Juanika. The new Monta stopped trying to be a nightlife All-Star and started taking responsibility for his job and his relationships with teammates.

At last week's media day, Ellis said he has continued to work on himself. "There are probably a lot of things you've seen from Monta Ellis in the past six years that you won't see this year," he said.

Biedrins is a tougher case. He made monumental belly flops the past two seasons, plummeting from promising center to washed-up head case. Now Biedrins swears he has seen the light. Like Ellis, Biedrins cites positive outside influences. He recently became a father.

The Warriors wrote off Biedrins, and he knows that. He watched the team search frantically for a live body to replace him. Maybe he got scared straight. He says he worked hard in the offseason on his body, his game and his head.